and they had what the senate majority leader, harry reid, described to me as a brief huddle. now, our jake tapper was told the president told leaders in both parties to be prepared to come to the white house on friday, ready to talk solutions. that certainly would be a change. >> reporter: the president, republican, and democratic leaders coming together to unveil a statue of civil rights icon, rosa parks, all pulling in the same direction. their partisan tug-of-war, temporarily on hold. >> mr. president, you honor us with your presence. thank you for being here. >> reporter: but this bipartisan moment was just that, a moment. here's the senate leaders going at it just 45 minutes earlier. >> he wasn't elected to work with the congress he wants, he was elected to work with the congress he has. >> republicans are too busy fighting among themselves to unite behind a course of action, so they're instead doing nothing. zero. >> reporter: the president did ask congressional leaders to the white house to discuss forced spending cuts for their first face-to-face meeting about avertin